![]() ![]() In the early 1800s, Philadelphia became more cosmopolitan as its merchants traded with the Caribbean, China, and Europe, leaving the area awash in foreign foodstuffs. Shad, plentiful in the Delaware River and later celebrated by local artist Thomas Eakins (1844-1916), was especially popular. They proved so popular that discarded shells were used for ship ballast and street paving. Oyster purveyors, centered on Philadelphia’s Dock Street, supplied vendors and restaurants alike. In addition to these establishments, Philadelphians satisfied their hunger by preparing meals at home or patronizing street vendors selling products ranging from fruits and vegetables to pepper pot soup and oysters. Oeller’s assembly room, decorated with French wallpaper and antique illustrations, challenged the City Tavern as Philadelphia’s finest banquet space. In 1791, James Oeller opened his eponymous hotel, Philadelphia’s first, at Sixth and Chestnut Streets. Hoping to appeal to non-elite customers, in 1780 Vincent Pelosi opened the Pennsylvania Coffeehouse (Front and High Streets) and later a second location in Camden, New Jersey. Recalling dining there during the First Continental Congress, John Adams (1735-1826) praised the tavern’s “thousand delicacies” and fine wines. The exclusive City Tavern (Second and Walnut Streets) opened in 1773 and gained a reputation for opulent banquets. Funded by subscriptions, Pennsylvania Journal editor William Bradford (1719-91) in 1754 opened the Old London Coffeehouse (Front and High Streets), which contained separate floors for drinking alcohol and coffee and minimal food offerings.Īs Philadelphia developed into colonial America’s primary urban center, fancier restaurants appeared. William Penn (1644-1718) noted in the 1680s that Philadelphia contained a handful of taverns with “a good meal to be had for sixpence,” but it was not until the 1750s that taverns began serving table d’hôte (“ordinary food”) with locally obtained produce, meats, and grains. 1720) in Sewell, New Jersey and Jessop’s Tavern (est. 1681) in Ambler, Pennsylvania the Barnsboro Tavern (est. The area’s oldest surviving taverns include the Broad Axe Tavern (est. Taverns and public houses (“pubs”) represented the area’s earliest food-serving establishments many operated in private residences, catered to diverse clienteles, and provided ample alcohol. Parkinson’s Café became a Philadelphia legend when it bested New York City’s famous Delmonico’s in a cooking challenge known as “the thousand-dollar dinner.” (Historical Society of Pennsylvania) Philadelphia, the Place that Loves You Backįrom colonial-era taverns to the celebrity chef establishments of the early twenty-first century, Greater Philadelphia’s restaurants illuminated the region’s socioeconomic, cultural, and culinary trends while also providing sustenance for millions, employing thousands, and in some cases emerging as historic and nostalgic treasures. ![]()
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